Ontario expanding COVID-19 vaccine eligibility to 40+ starting Thursday

Ontario will expand COVID-19 vaccine eligibility across the province this week to residents 40 and older, essential workers and those with higher-risk health issues as it continues to expand its rollout.

Starting on Tuesday at 8 a.m., individuals with health conditions deemed “at risk” and Group Two of people who cannot work from home can begin booking through the province’s online booking portal.

Group Two essential workers eligible as of May 10

• Essential and critical retail workers (including grocery, foodbank, pharmacy, ServiceOntario, ServiceCanada, Passport Canada, wholesalers and general goods, restaurant, LCBO workers)
• Workers in manufacturing industries directly involved in supporting the COVID-19covid 19 response, construction (including infrastructure) and other essential businesses and services where facilities are at heightened risk for COVID-19covid 19 outbreaks and spread
• Social workers and social services staff who provide in-person client services (including youth justice workers, Ontario Works and Ontario Disability Support Program case workers)
• Courts and justice system workers (including probation and parole workers)
• Transportation, warehousing and distribution workers (including public transit workers, truck drivers supporting essential services, marine and rail cargo and maintenance, highway maintenance)
• Electricity (including system operations, generation, transmission, distribution and storage workers)
• Communications infrastructure workers (including cellular, satellite, landline, internet, public safety radio)
• Water and wastewater management workers
• Financial services workers (bank branch staff)
• Veterinarians and veterinary teams
• Waste management workers
• Oil and petroleum workers (including petroleum refineries, crude oil and petroleum storage, transmission and distribution, retail sale of fuel)
• Natural gas and propane gas workers (including compression, storage, transmission and distribution of natural gas and propane)
• Mine workers (including those needed to ensure the continued operation of active mines)
• Uranium processing workers (those working in the refining and conversion of uranium and fabrication of fuel for nuclear power plants)

At-risk health conditions eligible as of May 10

• Immune deficiencies and autoimmune disorders
• Stroke and cerebrovascular disease
• Dementia
• Diabetes
• Liver disease
• All other cancers
• Respiratory diseases, such as asthma, bronchitis, pneumonia, pleurisy
• Spleen problems, such as asplenia
• Heart disease
• Hypertension with end organ damage
• Diagnosed mental disorder
• Substance use disorders
• Sickle cell disease
• Thalassemia
• Immunocompromising health conditions
• Other disabilities requiring direct support care in the community

On Thursday morning at 8 a.m., residents aged 40 and older in non-hot spot communities will also be eligible to book an appointment.

In addition, due to increased vaccine supply the province is adding high-risk health care workers, dialysis patients, and all First Nations, Inuit and Métis individuals to the list of those eligible to book their appointment to receive a second dose of the COVID-19 vaccine earlier than the extended four-month interval. Eligibility for booking will begin by the end of the week and booking details will be provided in the coming days.

Half of the vaccine supply is being diverted to COVID-19 hot spots this week, based on the recommendation of the province’s scientific advisers.

Starting next week, vaccines are set to be distributed per capita once again.

Over the weekend, upwards of 140 pharmacies in COVID-19 hot spots began offering Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna shots to people aged 18 and over.